Self-locking container



June 22, 1965 J. H. mm: 3,

SELF-LOCKING CONTAINER Filed April 19, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORATTORNEY June 1965 J. H. NUTE 3,190,535

SELF-LOCKING coummm Filed April 19, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet z NVENTOR. -71 YIV A uns ATTORNEY June 1965 J. H. NUTE 3,190,535

SELF-LOCKING CONTAINER Filed April 19. 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet a INVENTOR.\7:4Y /V(/7 ATTORNEY June 1965 I J. H. NUTE 3,190,555

SELF-LOCKING CONTAINER Filed April 19, 1962 5 Sheets-Sh e t 4 INVENTOR.Jh Nari ATTORNEY 3,190,535 SELF-LO'CKIING CUNTAINER Jay H. Note, SanLeandro, Caiitl, assignor, by mesne assignments, to The FlintkoteCompany, a corporation of Massachusetts Filed Apr. 19, 1962, Ser. No.188,822 2 Claims. (Cl. 229-4) This invention relates to containers, andparticularly to containers made of paperboard or similar materials forholding and transporting fruits, vegetables, and other articles packedin bulk.

A principal object of the invention is to provide a container forhandling heavy produce such as tomatoes, potatoes, apples or the like,wherein the bottom and certain of the vertical walls are reinforced forstacking strength and wherein cover members are provided which includelocking portions particularly designed for efiicient interlocking withthe reinforced vertical walls.

Another object of the invention is to provide a single cut and scoredsheet capable of being erected into a container having multi-ply wallconstruction, wherein the arrangement and relation of panels affords aninterlocking of parts without resort to additional or separate securingmeans.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a self-lockingcontainer which is simple in construction, efficient, economical,readily and quickly assembled at low cost.

Further objects, features and advantages of the invention will readilybecome apparent to one skilled in the art from a reading of thedescription and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a container made in accordance with theteachings of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a container modified from FIG. 1according to another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a single flat blank from which the container ismade;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the blank showing certain portionsthereof squared up and folded in the first stages of the containerformation;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 4 showing additionalportions of the blank folded in a more advanced stage of the containerformation;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 5 showing yet furtherfolding of the blank portions in a still more advanced stage of thecontainer formation;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 6 showing still yet furtherfolding of the blank portions in a yet still more advanced stage of thecontainer formation;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 7 showing still yet furtherfolding of the blank portions in a yet still more advanced stage ofcontainer formation with a partial end section exposure;

FIG. 9 shows in perspective substantially assembled the container justprior to locking and securing the end flaps into the bottom of thecontainer;

FIG. 10 shows an end section of FIG. 9 with the end flap just prior tobeing locked to the bottom of the container;

FIG. 11 is similar to FIG. 10 with the end flap completely locked in;

FIG. 12 is a sectional view through the line 12-12 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 13 is a sectional view through the line 13-13 of FIG. 1.

Referring to the drawings and particularly to FIG. 1 which shows anassembled container according to one embodiment of the invention. Thebottom of the assembled ited States Patent .0

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container, indicated as a whole at it}, has joined therewith side panels11a and 11b and end walls indicated as a whole at 12a and 12b. The sidepanels 111a and 11b carry cover flaps 13a and 13b respectively, hingedon their upper edges. As herein shown, the container is of the topopening, double cover style particularly desirable for use in packagingbulk produce. While the container may be formed from various types ofpaper board or other sheet material, it is preferably formed from strongand relatively stiff but readily foldable resilient corrugatedpaperboard. Further, the cover flaps 13a and 13b may have theirextremities foreshortened so that on closure they fail to meet but arecompletely locked and sealed in by an elongated locking strip 14-disposed to have its extremities folded over so as to engage a pair oflocking apertures 15a and 15b formed at the upper central portion of theend walls when the container is completely formed. In the alternative,the cover flaps may be extended so as to have their extremities meet, asshown in FIG. 2, a modified version of the container shown in FIG. 1.Here the covers may be held in locked position by any suitable adhesivemember 16 such as tape and the like.

Now referring to FIG. 3 there is shown therein a unitary blank 2%,generally rectangularly shaped, from which the container is formed. Theblank is cut and appropriately scored to provide a main or bottom outerpanel 21 and a scored main or bottom inner panel 22. There is hingedlyattached along scorelines 21a and 21b to the bottom outer panel 211.,along the outer edges thereof, a pair of outer end panels 23 and 24 eachof which has centrally located dual parallel spaced scorelines 25, 26and 27, 2% respectively and a pair of centrally disposed elongatedapertures 29 and 3%? running in the scoreline direction for receivingthe locking strip 14 shown in FIG. 1. The scorelines throughout thevarious figures are shown dotted to represent those locations in whichfolding of the particular parts of the blank is to take place. There isalso hingedly attached along an outer edge 32 of the main bottom outerpanel 21 a side panel 33 having a scoreline 34 along the central portionthereof. In a similar manner, there is hingedly attached along an outeredge 52a of the main bottom outer panel 22 a side panel 35 havingscoreline 36 centrally located similar the scoreline 34 on panel 33.Side panels 33 and 35 have attached thereto between them and along oneof their respective outer edges, an inner end panel 37 which has a pairof spaced apart scorelines 38 and 39 centrally located. Side panel 33has also along its other and opposing outer edge an inner end panel 4%which likewise has a pair of spaced apart scorelines 41 and 42 similarto scorelines 38 and 39 on panel 37. There is further shown on the mainbottom inner panel 22, a pair of cut-outs or notches 43, 44 locatedalong opposing edges 4-5 and 46 of the said panel for re ceiving a pairof tabs 47 and 48 located along edges 49 and 54 respectively of outerend panels 23 and 24 and is extensive therewith. There is a cooperationof both the notches and tabs for the purpose of locking the end panelsto the bottom of the container when the container is finally assembled.Now referring to FIGS. 4 through 9 the blank 26 is shown in progressivestages of forming a container 10 and a preferred sequence of folding ormanipulation of the bottom side and end panels will now be describedwith reference thereto.

In FIG. 4 the blank 20 is first squared up and held in an uprightposition by causing gummed tab 50a to adhere to an outer edge of innerend panel 40. Squaring up first in this position permits all therespective parts or components of the blank to become bent or folded tofacilitate assembly of the completed carton. Subsequent to squaring up,the outer end panels 23 and 24 are folded outwardly away from theupright position as shown in FIG. 5 so as to permit the bottom innerpanel 22 to be folded upward along score line 52a into the squaredportion formed by upright panels 33, 34, 35 and 36. Subsequently thesquared partially formed upright carton consisting of bottom panel 22and sides and end panels 33 through 36 is folded over score line 32 asshown in FIGS. 6 and 7 so as to cause the inner bottom panel 22 tobecome seated and in complete registry with the bottom outer panel 21.There is further provided a series of holes 56 and smaller apertures 57in the container to assure proper ventilation and air circulation.

FIGS. 8 and 9 further show the progression of the formation of the boxand particularly show the inner end panels 37 and 40 folded inwardlyalong their centrally located scorelines 38-89 and 41-42 so as to form apair of two-ply inner end walls when the end walls are completely foldedover and closed. After closure of the inner end panels, the outer endpanels 23 and 24- are each similarly folded along their respective scorelines 25-26 and 27-28 and also made to overlay the closed inner endwalls 37 and 40 and to become contiguous therewith to form a continuous4-ply end wall construction. Upon overlay of the outer end wall, closureis made by perrnitting the extending tabs on the outer end walls toengage and cooperate with notches 43 and 44 in the main bottom innerpanel to form a locking position to complete the end wall construction.

FIGS. and 11 are partially sectioned end portions of the box just priorand subsequent to the locking of the outer end panels with the innerbottom, and particularly with respect to the tab 47 and its cooperationwith the notch 43. FIG. 11 is the same as FIG. 10 with the end panelcompletely formed and finally locked in. There is further shown in FIGS.10 and 11 an aperture 29, having its counterpart in the opposing endpanel not shown in the figure, for receiving a locking bar member 14 aspreviously discussed with respect to FIG. 1. In particular, FIG. 11shows a cross-section through the end panel with the locking bar 14locked in place. It may be seen here that a portion of the end panel ispartially displaced inwardly to provide essentially a pressure typecontact with the locking bar so as to maintain it fixedly in place.

It is apparent from the foregoing description and with reference to theaccompanying drawings, that the present invention provides a containerformed from a single sheet of material, such as paperboard, havingmulti-wall construction and being rapidly interlocked in assemblywithout resort to additional or separate securing means. The novellocking means embodied in the construction affords an integral containerwhich is very strong and capable of accommodating heavy loads, and whichprovides end walls having great stacking strength.

While the foregoing specification sets forth the invention in specificterms, and in reference to one embodiment, it is to be understood thatmany variations and modifications may be resorted to without departingfrom the broad aspects of the invention as defined by the followingclaims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. A container of paperboard or like material comprising a bottom Wall,a pair of oppositely disposed side walls, the first sidewall beinghinged to an edge of said bottom wall, a pair of oppositely disposedfour-ply end walls formed from a first set of end panels hinged toopposed edges of said bottom wall and from a second set of end panelshinged to opposed edges of said one side wall, said end panels beingfolded into superposed relation about a centrally disposed fold lineparallel to and spaced from the end edge or" said bottom wall, and thesecond side wall being hinged to one end of one of the end panels in thesecond set.

2. A container according to claim 1 wherein said bottom Wall includestwo panels, one being hinged to the lower edge of said one side wall andthe other being hinged to the lower edge of the other side wall, saidbottom panels being generally rectangular and coextensive in dimension.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 685,977 11/01Dicker 229-34 933,454 9/09 Hudson 229-34 2,404,067 7/46 Hill 229-452,828,905 4/58 Frizzell 229-45 2,845,211 7/58 Hauck et al. 229-342,957,615 10/60 Karr et al. 229--34 3,001,685 9/61 Blount 229-34 FOREIGNPATENTS 502,291 11/54 Italy.

THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

EARLE J. DRUMMOND, GEORGE O. RALSTON,

Examiners.

1. A CONTAINER OF PAPERBOARD OR LIKE MATERIAL COMPRISING A BOTTOM WALL,A PAIR OF OPPOSITELY DISPOSED SIDE WALLS, THE FIRST SIDE WALL BEINGHINGED TO AN EDGE OF SAID BOTTOM WALL, A PAIR OF OPPOSITELY DISPOSEDFOUR-PLY END WALLS FORMED FROM A FIRST SET OF END PANELS HINGED TOOPPOSED EDGES OF SAID BOTTOM WALL AND FORM A SECOND SET OF END PANELSHINGED TO OPPOSED EDGES OF SAID ONE SIDE WALL, SAID END PANELS BEINGFOLDED INTO SUPERPOSED RELATION ABOUT A CENTRALLY DISPOSED FOLD LINEPARALLEL TO AND SPACED FROM THE END EDGE OF SAID BOTTOM WALL, AND THESECOND SIDE WALL BEING HINGED TO ONE END OF ONE OF THE END PANELS IN THESECOND SET.